Ski packs



July 26, 1966 N, w SELNES 3,262,619

SKI PACKS Filed April 13, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. /VoeMA/v WSH. N55

7' ORA/EY July 26, 1966 Filed April 13, 1965 N. W. SELNES SKI PACKS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. /V0/eMA/vl/1./5/v55 A TOP/Vf Y July 26, 1966 N. w. SELNES 3,262,619

SKI PACKS Filed April L5, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 2/ :l l' INVENTOR,

ml* /Vo/e/MA/v WSH/V55 22 l BY /2 W. i A f /6 A7 ,QA/EY United States Patent Oiiice 3,262,619 Patented July 26, 1966 3,262,619 SKI PACKS Norman W. Selnes, 3725 W. Outer Drive, Detroit, Mich. Filed Apr. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 447,746 Claims. (Cl. 224-50) This invention relates to ski packs and in particular to lightweight means for packing and carrying skis and ski poles.

The primary object of the instant invention is to provide means for the orderly packing of skis and ski poles for firmly holding and carrying the same from home to an automobile and from the automobile to a ski lodge, all without interference with conventional ski carriers generally installed on the roof or back deck of an automobile.

A further object of the invention is to provide a con-- venient handy-to-pack and unpack ski and ski pole carrier in which the skis or ski poles may be readily clamped and locked Without possibility of damage to them from the ski pack or the locking means thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a highly efficient ski and ski pole pack that may be easily and comfortably carried, and which may be loaded or unloaded without material effort inconsiderably less than a minute.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a ski and ski pole pack of the invention showing the front, top and right hand end thereof with skis and ski poles shown in dot and dash lines securely packed therein ready for carrying.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged end elevational view taken from right-hand end of FIG. 1 with the right gate shown partially open, the location of skis and ski poles to be secured therein being shown in dot and dash lines, and with the spring latch element not shown.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged end elevational view taken from the right-hand end of FIG. 1 with the right gate shown closed and skis and ski poles firmly yet resiliently packed in the ski pack.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the upper right-hand corner of the ski pack with the righthand gate closed and latched.

FIG. 5 is an elarged fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 4 except -that the right-hand gate has been unlatched and swung partially open.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detailed horizontal sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of FIG. 3 with the skis removed from the ski pack.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the particular embodiment of the ski pack 10 disclosed for illustrative purposes comprises, in general, a -rigid frame 11 having vertical longitudinally spaced back members 12, and upper and lower vertically spaced longitudinal members 13 and 14 respectively each supported at their ends on upper and lower offset arms 15 and 16 extending forwardly from the upper and lower ends of said vertical back members 12. The entire frame 11 is preferably formed of a single piece of strong rigid wire having a single butt weld at its end (not shown). The vertical frame members 12 and their contiguous forwardly extending offset arms 15 and 16 are preferably provided with a dipped relatively thick somewhat soft plastic coating 17 whereby to prevent scratching or marring of skis and ski poles packed in and carried by the said ski pack 10.

At each side of the lower longitudinal frame member 14 is hinged a preferably channel shaped anchorage gate element 20 by means of a hinge 21 which is formed by cropping o the channel flanges 200 of the anchorage gate element 20 as at 202 and curling the lower end 203 of l the back 201 of the said gate element 20 around the said lower longitudinal frame member 14 as best shown in FIGS. l, 2 and 6. The said lower longitudinal frame member 14 is preferably upset or tabbed to provide a stop 22 at each side of the hinge 21 of the hinged anchorage gate 20 to prevent the said hinged Ianchorage gate 20 from sliding along the lower longitudinal frame member 14 out of the desired position thereof as shown in FIG. l.

An anchorage strip 23 of sponge rubber or the like is cemented vertically along the inside of the back 201 of each of the channel shaped anchorage gate elements 20,-

the said anchorage strips 23 being of sufficient resiliency, thickness and length to engage and grip ski poles 24 and skis 25 when the anchorage gates 20 a-re hinged from an open position shown in FIG. 2 to a closed position shown in FIGS. l and 3. As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the upper end of each said channel shaped anchorage gate element 20 has its channel anges 200 cropped as at 204, and the upper end of the back 201 thereof is tapered at 205 and is sharply bent to form a V-tab 206 which fits over and engages the upper longitudinal frame member 13 of the rigid frame 11 when the anchorage gate 20 is closed. The apex of the V-tab 206 serves as a keeper 207 over which a spring latch element 30 is cammed.

The said spring latch element 30 is formed generally W-shaped from .a relatively stiff spring wire with its outer arms 300 looped or hinged at 301 around the upper longitudinal frame member 13.' The inner arms 302 of the said W-shaped spring latch element 30 terminate into a transverse latch bar 303 which snaps in locked relationship over the keeper 207 at the apex of the V-tab 206 formed at the upper tapered end 205 of the back 201 of the channel shaped anchorage gate element 20 as the said latch element 30 is manually pivoted from its open position shown in FIG. 5 to its closed position shown in FIG. 4 after having first moved the anchorage gate'element 20 from its open position shown in FIG. 5 to its closed position shown in FIG. 6.

The said latch element 30 is so formed in relationship to the V-tab 206 of the anchorage gate 20 that it remains locked by an over-center action when in its locked position as shown in FIG. 4. To unlock the said latch element 30, it is merely lifted from its over-center locked position shown in FIG. 4 to its unlocked position shown in FIG. 5 whereupon ski poles 24 and skis 25 may be placed in or removed from the said ski pack 10. A suitable stop -or tab 22 is preferably formed on the upper longitudinal frame member 13 as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 to maintain the spring latch element 30 in proper alignment with the hinged gate element 20.

A strap type carrying handle 35 is preferably suitably connected at each end by such means as a loop 350 and a rivet 36 to the upper offset arm 15 of the rigid frame 11 whereby to provide convenient means for carrying the ski pack 10.

In packing `or unpacking the ski pack 10, it is laid on a convenient place with the back members 12 on the ground or floor. The anchorage gates 20 are then unlatched and opened providing access to the ski and ski pole storage area. The vertical'back members are preferably offset as at to provide spacer means between the ski poles 24 and the skis 25. This separation of the skis 25 and ski poles 24 permits either yor both to be carried firmly contained within the ski pack 10. After packing or unpacking the ski pack 10, the anchorage gates 20 are swung and pressed to their latched position as best shown in FIG. 3.

Each anchorage gate 20 is preferably apertured at 208 to accommodate a padlock or the like 40 at one anchorage gate 20 as indicated in dot and dash lines in FIG. 1, while a suitable chain (not shown) may be telescoped through the aperture 26 at the other anchorage gate 20 for the purpose of chain locking a fully packed ski pack to a post, fence or the like when the skis are not in use at a ski lodge.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described in detail, it is obvious that many changes may be made in the arrangement, size, shape and detail of the various elements thereof, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A ski pack for packing andcarrying skis and ski poles comprising a rigid wire frame consisting of a pai-r of vertically disposed longitudinally back frame members,

an upper and a lower arm extending forwardly from the upper and lower end respectively of each said vertical back frame member,

`an upper and a lower vertically spaced longitudinal frame member extending Irespectively between the upper forward ends and the lower forward ends ofsaid forwardly extending arms of said vertical back frame members,

a pair of longitudinally spaced ski and ski pole engaging `and anchorage gates each hinged at its lower end to said lower longitudinal frame member and engageable with said upper longitudinal frame member when closed,

manually operable latch means carried by said upper longitudinal frame member engaging said hinged ski and ski pole anchorage gates and releasably holding said anchorage gates in their closed position, and

hand grip means for manually carrying said ski pack connected to said yrigid frame.

2. A ski pack for packing and carrying skis and ski poles comprising a rigid wire frame consisting of a pair of vertically disposed longitudinally spaced back frame members,

`an upper and a lower arm extending forwardly from the upper and lower end respectively of each said vertical back frame member,

an upper and a lower vertically spaced longitudinal frame member extending respectively between the upper forward ends and the lower forward ends of said forwardly extending arms of said vertical back frame members,

a pair of longitudinally spaced ski and ski pole engaging and anchorage gates each hinged at its lower end to said lower -longitudinal frame member and engageable with said upper longitudinal frame -member when closed, Y

a lresilient pad on the rear face of each said anchorage gate compressible against skis and ski poles resting against said vertically disposed back frame members when said anchorage gates are closed,

manually operable latch means carried by said upper longitudinal frame member engaging said hinged ski and ski pole engaging and anchorage gates and releasably holding said anchorage gates in their closed position, and

hand grip means for manually carrying said ski pack connected to and extending between said upper arms extending forwardly from said vertical back frame members.

3. A ski pack for packing and carrying skis and ski poles comprising a rigid wire frame consisting of a pair of vertically disposed longitudinally spaced back frame members,

an upper and a lower arm extending forwardly from the upper and lower end respectively of each said vertical back frame member,

spaced an upper and a lower vertically spaced longitudinal frame member extending respectively between the upper forward ends and the lower forward ends of said forwardly extending arms of said vertical back frame members,

each vertical back member having a forwardly extending offset spacer means for spacing ski poles from skis when packed in said ski pack,

a relatively thick somewhat resilient plastic coating disposed over said longitudinally spaced vertical back frame members and the upper and lower arms extending forwardly therefrom,

a pair of longitudinally spaced ski and ski pole engaging and anchorage gates each hinged at its lower end to said lower longitudinal frame member and engageable with said upper longitudinal frame member when closed,

a resilient pad on the rear face of each said anchorage gate compressible against skis and ski poles resting against said vertically disposed back frame members when said anchorage gates are closed,

a manually operable over-center type spring latch means carried by said upper longitudinal frame member engaging each said hinged ski and ski pole engaging and anchorage gate and releasably holding said gates in their closed position, and

a hand grip means for manually carrying said ski pack connected to and extending between said upper arms extending forwardly from said vertical back frame members.

4. A ski pack for packing and carrying skis and ski poles comprising a rigid wire frame consisting of a pair of vertically disposed longitudinally spaced back frame members,

an upper and -a lower arrn extending forwardly from the upper and lower end respectively of each said vertical back frame member,

lan upper and a lower vertically spaced longitudinal `frame member extending respectively between upper forward ends and the lower forward ends of said forwardly extending arms of said vertical lback frame members,

each vertical 'back member having a forwardly extending offset spacer means for spacing ski poles from skis when packed in said ski pack,

a relatively thick somewhat resilient plastic coating disposed over said longitudinally spaced vertical back frame members and the upper and lower arms extending forwardly therefrom,

a pair of longitudinally spaced ski and ski pole engaging 'and anchorage gates each hinged at its lower end to said lower longitudinal frame member and engageable with said upper longitudinal frame member when closed,

a resilient pad on the rear face of each said anchor- `age gate compressible against skis and ski poles resting against said vertically disposed back frame members when said anchorage gates are closed,

at least one of said ski and ski pole anchorage gates having an aperture therethrough to accommodate locking means therethrough encompassing said upper longitudinal frame member,

a manually operable over-center type springV latch means carried by said upper longitudinal frame mem- Iber engaging each said hinged ski and ski pole engaging and anchorage gate and releasably holding said gates in their closed position, and

a hand grip means for manually carrying said ski pack connected to and extending between said upper arms extending forwardly from said vertical back frame members.

5. A skit pack for packing and carrying skis and ski reasably holding said anchorage gates in their closed poles comprising position, and

a rigid frame consisting of hand grip means for manually carrying said ski pack a back member, connected to said upper longitudinal frame meman upper and a lower longitudinal frame member 5 ber.

extending forwardly from and along the upper References Cited by the Examiner and lower portion respectively of said back UNITED STATES PATENTS frame member,

manually operable latch means carried by said upperlongitudinal frame member engaging said hinged ski GERALD M' FORLENZA Primary Exammer 15 and ski pole engaging and anchorage gates and re- I. E. OLDS, Assistant Examiner. 

4. A SKI PACK FOR PACKING AND CARRYING SKIS AND SKI POLES COMPRISING A RIGID WIRE FRAME CONSISTING OF A PAIR OF VERTICALLY DISPOSED LONGITUDINALLY SPACED BACK FRAME MEMBERS, AN UPPER AND A LOWER ARM EXTENDING FORWARDLY FROM THE UPPER AND LOWER END RESPECTIVELY OF EACH SAID VERTICAL BACK FRAME MEMBER, AN UPPPER AND A LOWER VERTICALLY SPACED LONGITUDINAL FRAME MEMBER EXTENDING RESPECTIVELY BETWEEN UPPER FORWARD ENDS AND THE LOWER FORWARD ENDS OF SAID FORWARDLY EXTENDING ARMS OF SAID VERTICAL BACK FRAME MEMBERS, EACH VERTICAL BACK MEMBERS HAVING A FORWARDLY EXTENDING OFFSET SPACER MEANS FOR SPACING SKI POLES FROM SKIS WHEN PACKED IN SAID SKI PACK, A RELATIVELY THICK SOMEWHAT RESILIENT PLASTIC COATING DISPOSED OVER SAID LONGITUDINALLY SPACED VERTICAL BACK FRAME MEMBERS AND THE UPPER AND LOWER ARMS EXTENDING FORWARDLY THEREFROM, A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED SKI AND SKI POLE ENGAGING AN ANCHORAGE GATES EACH HINGED AT ITS LOWER END TO SAID LOWER LONGITUDINAL FRAME MEMBER AND ENGEGABLE WITH SAID UPPER LONGITUDINAL FRAME MEMBER WHEN CLOSED, RESILIENT PAD ON THE REAR FACE OF EACH SAID ANCHORAGE GATE COMPRESSIBLE AGAINST SKIS AND SKI POLES RESTING AGAINST SAID VERTICALLY DISPOSED BACK FRAME MEMBERS WHEN SAID ANCHORAGE GATES ARE CLOSED, AT CLOSED ONE OF SAID SKI AND SKI POLE ANCHORAGE GATES HAVING AN APERTURE THERETHROUGH TO ACCOMMODATE LOCKING MEANS THERETHROUGH ENCOMPASSING SAID UPPER LONGITUDINAL FRAME MEMBER, A MANUALLY OPERABLE OVER-CENTER TYPE SPRING LATCH MEANS CARRIED BY SAID UPPER LONGITUDIANL FRAME MEMBER ENGAGING EACH SAID HINGED SKI AND SKI POLE ENGAGING AND ANCHORAGE GATE AND RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID GATES IN THEIR CLOSED POSITON, AND A HAND GRIP MEANS FOR MANUALLY CARRYING SAID SKI PACK CONNECTED TO AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID UPPER ARMS EXTENDING FORWARDLY FROM SAID VERTICAL BACK FRAME MEMBERS. 